The first thing I saw when I sat down was a crowded room ó more specifically, I noticed that while just trying to find a seat. And even with that, a waitress on the other end of the room still had time to talk to a customer she knew by name. So by initial impression, I was, well, impressed ó the place was packed and had regulars.
Even in such a large crowd, the group was quiet and easy going. Around my table were posters of operas such as ìLa BohÈme” and ìMadama Butterfly,” as well as the pictures of bowls of fruit and houses. The colors of walls and carpets typically were simple variations of white, red and green, complimenting the Italian flag that you could also find if you looked. Simple, yet elegant ó though for those less interested in this kind of setting, there was also a bar with a TV.
A waitress came to serve me almost immediately. I was indecisive, having never been here before, but thankfully she was prompt but not invasive as she regularly checked up on me to see if I made up my mind. While deliberating, the waitress told me up that they always take 20 minutes to make their pizzas. She boasted their pizza was the best in Wooster, and that it gets shipped all over the country ó which is further alleged on their to-go boxes. At this point, I had to try it, at the very least for curiosityís sake.
While waiting for my medium pizza, I also ordered bread and butter, a staple of any good restaurant meal ó and a plate of provolone sticks. These sticks came in remarkably fast time, and (of course) the taste was incredible. Light, flaky exterior, thin enough that you were getting plenty of cheese, cooked enough to be delightfully gooey but not enough to lose itself all over the plate. They also gave ample sauce, which blended nicely with the sun-dried tomato bread that was served before my main entrÈe.
Then came the pizza. If there is one thing to remember about Coccia House, it is this: they do not joke around when it comes to pizza. This pizza was much thicker than I imagined, crammed with the minimalist three toppings I asked for. Taste-wise, I was blown away. Not too greasy, yet still distinctly flavorful. One bite was more than enough to convince me theyíve never used frozen dough a day in their entire existence.
In my excitement, I didnít quite notice the prices until I finally saw the bill. The totals came to as follows: $6.50 for the provolone sticks, $1.95 for my bread basket, $14.00 for my three item medium pizza and $2.95 for my dessert cannoli. Now, there are two sides to this coin that should be noted. On the one hand, most of this was a bargain; the sticks were bigger and better tasting than what you could get at Momís, while the pizza was deceptively filling for its size. Youíll initially think youíre getting ripped off when you look at it, but one slice will prove to be so packed with toppings that youíll fill much more quickly than expected.
But on the other hand, we as college students donít typically have this kind of money to throw away on a regular basis. With that in mind, I canít honestly recommend this as a regular occurrence for the average student. It is well worth the price, but to do this more than occasionally could be rather taxing. However, if you are with your parents or a particularly rich or generous friend, make the trip. This restaurant is a textbook example of how cheaper food means a cheaper experience. You will get what you pay for.
The restaurant, according to the menu, was established in fall of 1958, and since then they have learned ìmany lessons, some things to try, some things to never try again.” And from this has come a carefully crafted practice, with excellent perky and prompt servers, homey atmosphere and great food make it an experience too delightful to pass up. If you need any further recommendations, just go ask the regulars.